Audience With The King Of Tania

We entered the Kingdom of Tania.

This was where we parted ways with the Kingdom of Luminous knights and the sisters Mone and Roze.

Shitoen gave them the address of her family home, saying, “Please contact me if anything happens.” She really is kind.

After that, we headed straight for the royal castle where the King of Tania resided.

At this hour, it seemed an audience could still be granted before the day was over.

We crossed the steep mountain passes typical of a mountainous region and admired the ranges unique to this country as we went. The wheat fields laid out along the mountain slopes were especially beautiful, and I could have watched the flocks of sheep and goats moving with the time of day forever. The Kingdom of Tidros did not have steep, rugged mountains stretching on like this… The men were fascinated too.

And so, by evening, Shitoen and I were in the audience chamber inside the palace of the Kingdom of Tania.

In that vast room, several lacquered chairs had been arranged, and at the front a seat had been prepared on a platform several steps higher.

Apparently, a bamboo blind was usually lowered there and the King of Tania would sit behind it, but because Shitoen was “the woman who bears the dragon crest” and I was her spouse, we were to be granted the honor of seeing his face directly.

Come to think of it, he had attended our wedding, but that had apparently been an extremely rare exception, and it had also been proof of how dearly Shitoen was valued.

“…Normally, we’d be sitting on the floor for this, right?”

At that point, only Shitoen, Raul, and I were in the audience chamber. I quietly spoke to Shitoen beside me.

“Perhaps they were being considerate of Prince Saryu.”

Shitoen smiled at me.

…I felt a little sorry about it, but since I was not very familiar with the etiquette of the Kingdom of Tania, it certainly helped.

Apparently, under normal circumstances, one sat directly on the floor rather than on chairs.

So I had heard that in the Kingdom of Tania, carpets and cushions and the like were arranged across the floor.

But since chairs had been prepared today, the polished wood of that unusual color could be seen as it was. When I asked the chamberlain guiding us, he told me, “It is made of black walnut.” Huh. I should tell the Crown Prince about that later. It was the kind of flooring color he would probably like.

After the chamberlain stood waiting by the wall for several minutes,

a visitor’s bell rang, and the doors opened with grave solemnity.

Shitoen lowered her head slightly, so Raul and I followed her lead.

“You may be at ease. Raise your faces.”

That voice came with the sound of several pairs of footsteps entering the room, and I slowly raised my head.

Seated in the chair upon the dais was the King of Tania. In the chairs placed just below him sat Lord Balimore, Shitoen’s actual father, and several nobles from somewhere or other.

I looked at the King of Tania.

He was forty-two years old. His black hair and black eyes were as sharp as obsidian, and combined with an expression that hardly moved at all, he seemed incredibly hard to approach.

He was wearing a shirt without front buttons, and over it a sleeveless, long outer garment that was also part of this country’s attire, fastened around the waist with a sash, but… the embroidery on it was magnificently splendid. A dragon had been worked into it with silver thread.

“Prince Saryu, it has been since the wedding. You have done well to come so far.”

“Not at all. On this occasion, I offer my deepest thanks for the trouble Your Majesty has taken to restore my wife’s honor.”

I agonized over whether I ought to stand and bow, but in the end I greeted him by bowing my head where I was.

“It is nothing. I myself had long found the matter intolerable, so the timing was convenient. Was it not, Balimore?”

Addressed so, Lord Balimore bowed his head without a word.

He was probably around the same age as my father, but his lean build and perfectly controlled movements were entirely different. I had thought so the first time I met him too, but this man struck me as quite the warrior.

“Shitoen, have you been well?”

In sharp contrast, the King of Tania addressed Shitoen in a remarkably gentle tone.

“Yes. Thank you very much, Your Majesty. Thanks to the King of Tidros and Prince Saryu, I have been living in good health like this.”

After bowing once, Shitoen answered with a smile.

“That is good to hear. Then I too shall offer my thanks, Prince.”

“I am not worthy of such an honor…”

I was a little intimidated.

No, he really does dote on Shitoen. Seriously… How could the Kingdom of Luminous cast aside a daughter like this? Our Crown Prince had said, “It’s a good thing Luminous’s Crown Prince was an idiot,” but… Seriously, was he not just an idiot?

“Your Majesty.”

A noble waiting behind the King of Tania said something into his ear. The King of Tania nodded and then looked at me.

“I hear that, on the road, some countrymen of ours who were attacked by bandits came under your care. Once again, I offer my thanks.”

“What are you saying? Besides, it was Shitoen who healed their wounds. If thanks are to be given, then they should be given to Shitoen.”

“No, no. It was because Prince Saryu drove the bandits away. I heard that merely hearing the name ‘Winter Bear of Tidros’ made them tremble in fear. It is Prince Saryu who ought to receive words of praise from Your Majesty.”

As we each said that, the King of Tania laughed aloud.

“It is good to see you get along so well. I am relieved. If this is how things are, then the two of you should continue to do well together from here on too. Is that not so, Balimore?”

“That is entirely true.”

Even Lord Balimore’s eyes softened. That expression made me feel relieved.

After all, at the time of the public breaking of the engagement… this man had looked utterly miserable…

“Shitoen.”

“Yes.”

Shitoen answered. The King of Tania tilted his head slightly.

“Are you with child yet?”

At once, Shitoen turned so red that it looked as though she might burst into flame.

Even I panicked.

“N-No, we’ve only been married for about a month still…”

When I said that in a rather defensive tone, the King of Tania cast a glance at Lord Balimore.

“But you have been living together since before the wedding, have you not?”

“Our son-in-law no doubt dutifully waited for the marriage ceremony.”

“How remarkably patient.”

The King of Tania, who had been so expressionless until now, looked faintly taken aback. No, I wanted to make a move too!!! But the servants at my place, the men, and Raul kept getting in the way!

“I see, then even if there is already a child in the womb, you would not yet know. I see, I see.”

I was relieved that the King of Tania seemed satisfied, but then… the next thought hit me: “Eh…? Wait, so it’s possible one was conceived on the first night?”

R-Right… We did do that, after all…

When I turned to look at Shitoen, she was so red she looked like she might start steaming, and she desperately shook her head side to side.

…Ah, so there is no child… maybe?

“I shall ask the King of Tidros for permission, but would it be acceptable for me to name Shitoen’s first child?”

Just as I was feeling relieved, flustered, and a little disappointed all at once, the King of Tania said something outrageous.

“Huh? Wha? N-no, um… It would be an honor, but…”

Would that really be all right? Even to accept? I hurriedly exchanged glances with Raul again.

“Your Majesty, should such matters not be discussed after there is actually a child?”

“That is true as well. When it comes to Shitoen, I do tend to get ahead of myself.”

Lord Balimore threw me a lifeline, and I nearly felt all the strength leave my body.

“Now then, enough of the stiff formality. Let us eat.”

So said the King of Tania, and he signaled to the nobles waiting behind him.

“Shitoen has likely not seen her friends and relatives in a very long time either, has she? They will be here at once, so wait a little.”

“Oh! Thank you very much!”

Shitoen clasped her hands together in delight. After the engagement had been broken off, she had returned home once, but even then it had immediately been followed by the engagement ceremony with me. It had been a long time since Shitoen had been able to relax in her homeland. Of course she would be happy.

“I would not mind having you stay here in the palace until the apology ceremony is held, but Balimore insisted, quite noisily, that he absolutely must host you himself.”

The King of Tania said that with a sigh mixed in. Huh, really? Even I had assumed we would be staying in the palace…

When Shitoen and I looked at Lord Balimore together, he answered with his chest proudly thrust out.

“The Kingdom of Tania is famous for hot water springing from the earth. Our son-in-law must by all means bathe in the hot springs before he leaves. It has been a long time for you as well, has it not, Shitoen? Enjoy them to your heart’s content before you go.”

Hot springs!!!!!!

Hot springs, Father-in-law!!!!!!

Hot springs with Shitoen!!!!!!

“H-Hey… Commander, please don’t get a nosebleed.”

“I… I think I’m fine.”

Raul warned me in a low voice, and I instinctively tensed my stomach and held my breath. Whether that would actually stop a nosebleed or not, I had no idea.